Behind Green Eyes
by PlainSimpleGarak
Summary: Twisted and hurt by Asami joining the Avatar over the Equalists, Hiroshi Sato is bent on exacting revenge on the firebender who lured her away. When Mako disappears it's up to Bolin to rescue him and time for Asami to face her father. Set during ep. 1/9 "Out of the Past"
1. Breathe

_A/N: Set during Book 1 / Episode 9 "Out of the Past" with a very simple 'what if' – What if the Equalist that Mako interrogated didn't know that Tarrlok lied. What if he simply refused to talk?_

_And what if, for once, Bolin got to rescue his brother?_

_As per usual, I make no claim to Avatar: Legend of Korra. I did have a good time writing this and hope you have a good time reading it._

xXx

**Behind Green Eyes**

xXx

Breathe

xXx

Mako groaned, feeling the metallic taste of blood coat his teeth.

This place smelled like concrete and mold, with the faint damp of the underground. Forcing his eyes open sent a wave of pain through his temples, but at least he could see. A sickly orange-tinted glow cast by a bulbous carbon filament light spread across the room. Or was it a cell?

One movement and Mako was sure of the latter. His efforts to stretch were rewarded by a throbbing pain and a slow sticky dribble of blood rolling through his palms from raw wrists. Sitting on a metal chair he found his ankles bound to the legs and his hands bound tightly behind him. Bound with wire instead of rope, it cut into his flesh and told him that his captors had experience with binding firebenders.

Fear and resolve sank into his aching form as he blinked away the sap-sticky fog from his eyes. He vaguely remembered the back alley fight and the Equalist glove shoved into his back before the world went cold. Inwardly he cursed himself. Tenzin had told him not to go searching for Korra on his own. Asami had backed Tenzin up, though at the time he dismissed it as a jealous move on her part. He insisted that he was only going to follow up on what they saw in the council chamber, and that no harm could come from it. But even Bolin had weighed in, noting if they were going to seek Korra they should do it in the morning. Together. It was something he would have said. Something he should have said.

Something he should have listened to.

There was a scraping sound of a door opening, and the sharp cracking of polished heels on an unpolished floor. Mako strained against his bonds and stretched his neck to see who was coming. His stomach twisted in nausea, expecting a blank white mask to enter his vision.

The face he saw was almost worse.

"You know, I have had a lot of time to think about what you did to my daughter." Hiroshi Sato's mouth was drawn in a thin line of rage.

"What I did to your daughter? We never did anything to her! Asami did what she wanted to do." The firebender growled back, having to crane his neck painfully far to the left to even begin to look Hiroshi in the eyes.

Sato paused, punctuating the silence with a crackle of lightening as he pulled on a glove and tested the connections. "Are you blaming her?" the tone could have frozen the hair off of a tiger seal in a tropical zoo.

"No! I'm not. I'm saying she made her own choices and she never did anything wrong." His brows furrowed in frustration as he rolled his wrists against his bonds, testing their strength.

He earned a sharp pain in his arms, fresh blood rolling down his bound hands for his efforts. Hiroshi moved languidly to the back of the chair. "Never did anything wrong? A girl of her upbringing working with gutter filth like you?" He choked out a dark laugh, "Tell me you didn't coerce her."

"We didn't coerce her!" Mako bit out sharply.

Rage pouring across his face Hiroshi grabbed the chair frame, letting his gauntlets pour out their electrical attack. He picked the chair up, balancing it on the front two legs until Mako slid off balance, held only by his arms and the wires binding them together. "Liar!" he screamed, slamming the back legs of the chair against the concrete floor. "You will never speak such lies about my daughter!"

White hot electricity surged through the chair, enough to burn any exposed skin lying against the metal leaving bright pink welts. Mako's voice escaped his stubborn lips in a guttural gasp. It was just enough to provoke an indulgent smile to spawn across his captor's face.

The chair smashed back to earth once again and Hiroshi stepped back. Mako was only foggily aware that the electricity stopped too. His body sagged forward, bloody wrists burning with agony while his chest rasped for air. He almost forced out the words 'I am not a liar' but the pain made him think better of it. He was still awake, the indirect shock had assured that, meaning Hiroshi had some sort of twisted plan and he wasn't going to play into it. He had been baited once, this time he bit his tongue.

Mr. Sato walked around his captive in a wide, slow circle. "You know, I have not told Amon you are here. Yet." He waited until amber eyes rose to meet him and he twisted his face into a snarling smile. "We have much to talk about."

"So talk." Mako sucked in a short breath. Despite the taste of blood in his mouth his breathing came easily. He concentrated on the next few breaths, remembering an old training mantra from the pro bending arena: _if you can breathe you can bend fire_.

The boots beat out an interminable rhythm on the floor as Hiroshi Sato paced, like a clock winding down and losing time. "I want to know where she is. I want to know what you did to her that made her follow you. And I want her to watch when we finally break you." He paused, finally looking the firebender in the eye, "for her own good, you know. She needs to have closure on this folly of her life."

Mako gave a guttered gasp of anger, but held his tongue. Escape was his priority, and he was sure that arguing was not his way out of this. He tested the wire binding his hands once again, finding only a shred of leeway. But where there was breath there was heat, and where there was heat there was flexibility…

"What is this? No snappy comebacks? I'm ashamed." Hiroshi's bushy brows drew together, throwing his eyes into malevolent shadows.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Mako had managed to heat his fingertips to a slight glow, curling them to touch the wire. Wincing at the sudden flare of heat, he forced himself to keep a straight face and focus on Hiroshi. "I have nothing to say to you."

"No, I suppose you don't" Mr. Sato took a moment to adjust his spectacles and lean in to Mako's face. "You don't have a leg to stand on, do you?"

The firebender stayed still, biting back pain until he heard one tiny, encouraging snap and the binding on his hands started to unwind. "Maybe I don't need a leg to stand on." In one sudden move he leaned forward on the chair, bringing both hands forward in a roaring ball of fire. He pushed himself towards the exit while driving Hiroshi back. Now if he could only get his legs free…

"You _swine_!" the older man roared, his gloves flaring into electric light.

"I don't think I'm the animal here!" the firebender yelled back, his own lightning curling around his hands, determined to release it before Hiroshi got to him. He steeled his will and stretched his arm out.

In a flash he felt his entire body jerk backwards, as blue lightning hit the roof of the cell and coursed across the walls. The light fixture exploded in a shower of red-orange sparks. White spots flew across his vision and when he tried to take in a breath and figure out what went wrong Mako found he couldn't breathe.

His hands flew to his throat, clawing at something. A strap of leather - maybe a belt? Whatever, it was wrapped around his neck and held by an Equalist wearing those eerie gold goggles. Realization and fear coursed through his veins. His scarf was gone. That alone made him feel naked and vulnerable, more than the leather wrapped around his exposed neck. He gasped as the pressure released for a second and then the Equalist yanked him back harder, off balance.

The chair tumbled over backwards with Mako's legs still tied in place. Disoriented and wheezing for air, the back of his head impacted with the cold concrete ground in a deafening crack. He felt blood rush to his ears and his already dim world spun around him. He tried to call enough flame to his hands to see something… anything.

Light flared, but not the comforting orange of fire. Hiroshi Sato's face was silhouetted in the crass blue-green glow of his electro-gauntlets. He grinned like a shark contemplating its dinner and grabbed the legs of the chair.

Mako clenched his teeth together as electricity coursed through his body; desperate to move, desperate to breathe, desperate to not give that man the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

But someone was screaming as the world went black and he feared it was him.

xXx


	2. Backfire

xXx

Backfire

XxX

Bolin didn't even have both feet out of bed before he sensed something was wrong.

It was something in the way Pabu chittered worriedly, something in the peculiar morning silence. Something in the stillness of the air.

And the air was never still on Air Temple Island.

"Hey, bro, do you-" he turned, biting his words off and rolling off his bunk to rush forward towards his brother's all too unruffled bedding. Mako usually woke earlier than he did, but he did not usually tidy his sleeping area until after he had some breakfast in his system. Leaning down to place a hand on the blankets, Bolin's eyes narrowed: not a hint of heat or any indentation from a sleeping form. He blinked blearily, but he didn't recall Mako going to bed last night. He did remember his brother saying he was going to take a walk and clear his head so they could set out and search for Korra early this morning. He also remembered Mako had that cold, determined look in his eyes, the sort that said he didn't need his head cleared because his mind was already made up. Bolin groaned. "Oh, tell me you didn't…"

But the evidence was clear. Not one of Mako's possessions was disturbed and the bed was clearly not slept in. He turned and collapsed backwards on his brother's bed, flinging his hands over his face. "Oh, you did, didn't you?"

xXx

He gathered up enough breakfast to fit into his pockets, as well as enough money to bribe Skoochy for some decent information and set out before anyone could ask where he was going. And, truth be told, he didn't really know _where_ he was going. But he knew that Mako usually took care of himself so he half expected his brother to find _him_.

Skootchy's tip told him otherwise. Equalist attacks outside the council chambers? A lone truck speeding off towards the southern docks? A large lump formed in Bolin's throat as he pictured the scene, he gritted his teeth and swallowed it as he picked up his pace. A nagging voice in the back of his head told him to turn around and go back to Air Temple Island and come back with help. That voice was snuffed by a rash concern for his brother's safety as he ran through the back streets with one goal in mind.

Bolin rounded the corner and froze, narrowly avoiding Chief Saikhan and two of his men as they stopped on the front steps of the council building. The earthbender gasped and pressed himself against the cold brick of an alleyway, sinking down behind some trashcans to remain unseen. Peering out through a pile of discarded fliers, he held his breath to eavesdrop on the policemen's conversation.

A young policeman had his hands on his hips, looking very clinical. "No sign of intrusion, just those scorch marks on the steps. Whoever it was probably never moved inside, more likely they went behind the building and towards the docks."

The chief stroked his chin, staring at a streak of ash that blossomed over the sculpted steps. "It looks like the Equalists have taken to casing this place. Get a message out to the council."

Bolin drew back as the officers conversed. He could feel his teeth chatter, but he wasn't sure if it was brought on by nervousness or cold. He mapped the footpath the policeman had described and took one more wary glance back. Saikhan was absorbed in his conversation and Bolin decided to capitalize on his window of opportunity. He pushed himself into action, creeping down the alleyway towards the back of the building in a quiet crouch.

The side streets were filled with a backwash of sound from the city. Vendors calling their wares, cars backfiring and children shrieking all mingled in a comfortable cacophony. But the back of the council chambers was unnaturally quiet. Even in the height of the morning sun the majestic stone deck was shrouded in shadows. A faint lingering smell of smoke mingled with the sweetness of lilacs and brambleberries. Among the leaves wavering in the breeze there were small blackened spots that immediately caught Bolin's eyes. He reached out to rub his fingers against the charred tips on the decorative shrubs lining the walk, rolling the ash over his fingertips. His throat tightened and he sucked a breath through his teeth in an anxious hiss as he thrust apart the burnt bushes.

Unceremoniously laying on the ground, smeared with a thin layer of leaves and fresh soil was a very familiar red scarf.

Bolin yelped as if he had been suddenly shocked and snatched the scarf from the shrubbery. He clung to the faded fabric, clutching it to his chest. The rising panic that gripped him anchored his feet to the ground as sure as if he had sunk them into the earth, It took him several long moments to realize he was shaking and several more to realize that he was no longer alone.

"You, boy, what are you doing back here?" One of the metalbenders stood in a shaft of sunlight at the corner of the back streets, staring at him.

The voice startled him into motion. Bundling the scarf up into his hand Bolin stammered a little before words came tumbling out of his mouth a bit too quickly for comfort. "Oh! Sorry, didn't see you there. I was just picking up my scarf! My brother's scarf really, but he's forgetful and forgets things. And so I said I would come and try to find it and I did. Yeah. I mean yes." He paused and added a sheepish, "Sir."

The police officer blinked, not necessarily convinced, but a bit too overwhelmed by the torrential explanation to really care. What harm was there in a teenager picking up a scarf, after all? "Get out of here, kid. There's an investigation going on."

"Yes Sir! Thank you. I mean, I'm going now!" Bolin turned and bolted down the southern streets, tucking the scarf deep into his pocket to keep it safe.

xXx

This was not a good place. It smelled like coal and oil, with the lingering aroma of sweat and urine. The air seemed to carry a residual electric charge, as if you could shock yourself into oblivion just by touching the walls the wrong way. The whole effect sent shivers down Bolin's spine.

He reminded himself, again, that it would be a good time to head back to Air Temple Island. But since he was this far, he didn't see the point in turning back. Hands in his pockets, he took a casual walk around the row of warehouses, noting the people about – or lack thereof. The sound of the city was muted and the conversations were whispered as if no one dared break the hazy hush. The deep grooves worn into the muddy driveways spoke of heavy traffic and the windows of the building were decidedly black with coal smoke. Trying to peer inside, Bolin found the windows were so opaque that he wondered if someone had gone to the trouble to black them out.

Not to be discouraged, he headed for the side of the building where a rickety ladder was attached to the brickwork for maintenance access. Rusty, for sure, but when Bolin grabbed it and yanked it stayed solidly anchored. That was good enough for him. With one last look behind his shoulder he grabbed the rungs and started to climb.

The windows offered a faintly better view higher up. His breath came in hot, shallow pants and served as a steam to clean a small viewing portal. He could see vague outlines of trucks and machinery. While he had no proof that they were _Equalist_ trucks and machinery, he had a pretty good guess.

A pretty good guess that was turned into a gut-wrenching certainty as two cars and a recognizable grey truck pulled down the back street and slowed. With the cranking of gears and the screeching of metal against metal a large garage door opened. Bolin caught his voice before he could swear and scrambled up the ladder, throwing himself over the edge of the roof and laying low.

One man in the usual black uniform and dark goggles stood up in the back of the last car. "Did you hear something?" He shielded his forehead and started up at the roof-line.

"Beyond that infernal door? No." the driver replied in a deep guttural tone.

The truck revved and drove into the warehouse, followed by the first car. Bolin gripped the edge of the roof, praying the second car would follow, but the standing Equalist put a hand on the driver's shoulder and the car stayed stopped outside. "I'm going to check something out. Fen, back me up." Picking up his weapons, he hopped out and peeled away from the car with a taller, lankier man following.

Bolin could hear his heart drumming in his ears as he searched for an easy escape from the roof. Flat. Vents. Metal and stone. Well, the stone was good at least. Pressed down against the roof he held his breath, trying to hear where the Equalists were moving. A tiny whimper escaped his lips as he heard the ladder shudder and creak in a very familiar way. Time to move.

As the first Equalist crested the top of the building Bolin sprang up and sprinted across the roof, his heels beating a frantic rhythm across the metal. "There he goes!" the shout only pushed the earthbender faster and he kept his eyes fixed forward as he flung his body off the roof and through the air.

Arms and legs flailing, he did a very poor impression of an airbender on a glider. But however graceless the jump was, it was powerful. Bolin braced himself as his chest impacted on the neighboring roof. This one was slanted, and he grabbed through the loose shingles to grip the stone below, commanding it to form handholds. As soon as he had a grip he clambered up towards the top.

The faint whirr of the flying Equalist binding wires rushed at his head, and he could feel the electrical charge heading straight towards him. Bolin sucked a breath into his burning lungs and kicked his legs over the pitch of the roof. He leaned back and let gravity do its job, sliding downwards as the bonds slammed against the roof behind him. crackles of electricity chased him down the shingles.

With the ground coming up to greet him and the Equalists rushing to mount a second attack, Bolin forced the stone of the lower roof into a gentle upward curve and used his descending momentum to fling himself into the air. Taking another ungainly flight he reached both arms outward and grabbed onto one of the streetlamp poles, swinging himself around and down to a striped canvas store canopy. The fabric caught him like a taut trampoline. He bounced once before the fabric gave way to his weight with a mighty tear and he rolled down into a stand full of melons.

He felt a flash of pain through his shoulder; and a dull ache in his side. Neither was bad enough to overpower his need to get up and run. He could hear the Equalists shouting from the roof, trying to regroup as his feet slipped in smashed melon guts. From the store a young woman cried "Oh no! My melons!"

"Sorry! Really sorry!" Bolin cried as he dashed forward again. His perception narrowed to pinpoint nothing more than escape routes as his breath came to him in jagged short pants. Down a back street and past the side alley of the warehouse, his head jerked around as he caught a low rumble.

They left the engine running.

Doing a quick about face, Bolin tore down the alleyway and leaped into the car with both feet. This couldn't be too hard; he had seen Asami do it dozens of times. She even gave him a crash course once. Clutch. Shift. Gas.

The car lurched forward, sputtered and caught. As the Equalists started leaping off from the roof and pouring out of the building Bolin frantically shifted gears. With a shriek of tires on cobblestone the car flew forward at a breakneck pace. He could hear the garage door creaking open behind him, and the revving of engines. No time to look back. No time to even think about it.

The car sped out into traffic, with its white knuckled driver shrieking "Sorry!" at every turn. Horns blared and traffic lights were completely disregarded as Bolin used every ounce of his concentration to simply keep the car on the road. Turn, speed up, slow down, turn, keep going and never look back. He wasn't sure how far he went and when – or if – he even lost his pursuers. All he knew is that when he saw Oogi relief flooded his body like cool water offered to a man in the desert. He ground the car to a halt, brakes shrieking and tires squealing in a way that threw him forward and almost out of the driver's seat.

"Bolin! Are you all right?" Asami's voice cut through his panic like a lighthouse in a storm. She jumped off Oogi's back, running over. Dazed and shaking, Bolin tried getting out of the car but the ground kept moving on him. "Wait a second…" Asami jumped into the passenger seat and leaned over, clicking the parking break and shifting the car into park. "You need to park it before you get out."

"Park! Yeah…I knew that." He rubbed the back of his neck, and suddenly snapped his head around. "Is there anyone following me?"

"Beyond half the police force? No." Lin called as she slid down Oogi's side. "What do you think you were doing, pulling a stunt like this?"

Stepping out of the car, Bolin felt his knees shake and he sagged upon the open door. "I was…" abashed, his eyes dropped to the cobblestones. "I needed to…" He fumbled for words and felt them slipping through his teeth like sand through fingers. Meeting Lin's unwavering gaze he pulled the dirty red scarf and thrust it towards her.

"Oh no." Asami's voice was scarcely a whisper, but it held the same taut pain that Bolin felt in his gut. Slowly his eyes wavered to meet hers and his brows drew together in shame.

"I didn't find him. I tried…" he choked.

The next thing he knew she was by his side, clutching his shoulder and shaking. Asami did not cry. She was too proud to cry. But she was scared. He drew her close, into an awkward hug, feeling his panic ebbing just from the simple sensation of companionship. He was no longer alone. He hated being alone.

The screech of sirens rounded the corner and Lin Beifong steeled her jaw. Turning towards Tenzin she called, "I'll take care of this." Before she left she cast a glance towards Bolin. "You owe me, boy."

He gulped once and gave a shaky nod. "Yes, Ma'am."

Face red and pinched in worry, Asami drew back from Bolin and held her hand out. "Give me the keys."

Bolin stepped back, startled. His breath caught in his chest while his jaw moved. Tenzin's voice, calm but stern, washed over both of them. "It is dangerous to go back out there; the Equalists will be looking for you."

Turning on her heels, Asami stuck her fists into her hips. "I'm not losing anyone else to them. I'm done worrying. We're finding Mako. Together."

Bolin found himself nodded in agreement despite having no clue of what Asami was planning.

Tenzin huffed softly, but he didn't resist. "Lin and I will follow you."

Snatching the keys from Bolin's hand, Asami gave a grim, determined nod. "Come on, Bolin. I'm driving."

xXx


	3. Break

xXx

Break

xXx

One change of clothes and a quick jury-rigged fix of a crumpled bumper later left Bolin and Asami looking like fair approximations of their foes. Asami tucked her electro-glove into the car and waved Bolin inside. "Do you remember where the warehouse was?"

"Clearly." He hopped into the passenger seat as the car hummed smoothly into action. "Do you really think they'll let us through?"

As the car sped up and the wind ruffled in their ears, Asami shook her head. "No, I don't. But we don't need to get in. We just need to get close."

"How is that going to work again?" His eyebrows fell into a flat, confused line.

Without taking her eyes off the road she explained in a tone that said she had thought this through thoroughly. "They know you took their car, and they're probably searching for it. So either we can get in under the story that we're one of the search groups checking back in or they'll recognize us and come after us."

"And this is good why?"

"The more people that follow us, the more people I can lose in the streets and the fewer people we need to sneak past when we double back." She finished matter-of-factly.

Bolin's round face widened with an "Ohh." He settled back, his young mind churning over the possibilities. "What if they start asking questions? What if we don't look enough like Equalists? What if they see the dent in the back end? What if-"

"Bolin, stop." She cut him off, the corners of her mouth turning upwards. "The less you worry about it, the less they will ask those questions in the first place. Just stay quiet and pretend you're supposed to be there."

"Supposed to be there, riiight." He folded his hands in his lap and tried to squash the butterflies that were dancing crazily in his stomach.

xXx

_He's not buying it_. Bolin forced his mouth into a firm line as the car idled and the Equalist waited for word from his runner. The goggles and face masks they wore not only heightened their intimidation factor, but they also effectively obscured facial expressions. Only Asami's hand on his leg, giving a reassuring squeeze now and again kept Bolin's ever-rising panic from blowing the ruse completely.

Well, that and the way she had her hand poised on the clutch, ready to jump the car into action at the first hint of danger.

"Which blocks were you patrolling again?" the Equalist's voice was dry and suspicious.

"Dockland up towards Larder Street, Sir." Bolin replied efficiently.

A runner dashed up beside his elder, handing over a clipboard of papers. The older Equalist flipped thorough a few sheets before slowly looking up. "No patrols were given from Dockland to Larder."

"We were sent out late." He kept running '_supposed to be here_' through his head, over and over.

The exposed mouth under the masked face turned downwards into a frown that accompanied the next words. "All right, move forward and report to the unit leader."

There was pressure against his leg and Bolin realized his jaw was hanging open. With a flicker of a gaze to Asami he pulled himself together. "Sir, yes Sir." He waited to start hyperventilating until the car had pulled forward and they were out of earshot of the sentry.

"That went better than I thought." She breathed as the car rolled forward into unlit alleys.

"Better?" Bolin's green eyes were wide. "I'm not so sure that heading straight into the mouth of the proverbial tigerdillo's den is better."

As Asami considered this her jaw clenched in grim determination. "It gets us one step closer to Mako."

"Point." Bolin forced himself to be calm. Or as calm as he could manage, which meant more of being quiet and not shaking. Much. He gripped the door of the car as they turned towards a large warehouse flooded with light, and a sudden though hit his brain. "How do we know which one is the unit leader?"

"The one that steps forward first," she replied rationally. It was not the first time Bolin was glad she was here. He bit his lower lip and waited each agonizing second as the car crept towards the loading dock.

And sure enough, one tall man with a deep voice stepped forward. "Who sent you out to Dockside section?"

"The… Lieutenant." Bolin steeled his voice as much as possible. He felt the car idle down and the engine pause as if it was waiting for a shift in gears.

The expressionless mask took another step forward. "Then why didn't you go back to the Dockside warehouse?"

Thinking fast was a bit easier when you could pull some elements of the truth to base your story on. Bolin thought back to this morning, "the police were out in the streets, we couldn't get past unseen."

The unit leader gave one short nod and waved them inside. No sooner had the car passed the threshold of the loading dock did they hear the grinding of chains to lower the door. Bolin sat up so straight that the muscles he bruised that morning started to groan a fiery complaint down his side. It couldn't possibly be this easy.

"Take them!" the unit leader's voice was like a sharp brand burned into their ears, timed just as the door locked behind them.

Of course it wasn't that easy.

"Hold on!" Asami hissed, throwing the car into reverse. Bolin gripped the door until his knuckles went white as the car slammed backwards into the group of Equalists, scattering them like ashes in the wind. The unit leader sprang forward, the sharp electrical crackle of his batons audible even over the roar of the engine. He swung one out towards Asami's head.

"Oh no you don't!" Bolin completely forgot about the ache in his muscles as adrenaline kicked in. He leapt out of the car, careening over the door and bringing a surge of chi to his legs. When he landed he smashed down the earth under his feet, and it retaliated by shoving up a large block of earth under the unit leader. He flew backwards and hit the side wall with a satisfying crunch.

Bolin backpedaled, giving Asami room to maneuver the car and taking in the lay of the land. _Not good._ Equalists were pouring out from both the upper and lower levels, most of the armed and electrified. _No time to panic._ Bolin found that his movements were solid; the shaking he had felt in the car was replaced by an unusual intensity and focus. He rushed forward to slam his hand against the stone walls of the foundation, sending a tremor up the wall that put wide cracks into the mortar that held the hinge pins for the upper balcony. Another strike and the whole upper catwalk started to creak and pull free from the stone.

Equalists scattered from the upper level, concentrating on flooding the lower levels. Bolin could see Asami whirl the car around with one hand on the steering wheel. Her other hand, encased in the electro-glove, was stretched out and sending searing bolts of lightening across the room. Still they jumped from the upper balcony and poured from the lower doors. _Too many of them_. He gritted his teeth, calling up a slab of earth to block off the entrance doors, but they were already outnumbered by more than he could count – or cared to count.

The terror that had gripped him the first time he was captured by the Equalists threatened to rise in his throat again as Bolin defaulted to a familiar style of pulling up small discs and stones from the floor and flinging them at the nearest enemy. While he had all the accuracy of a pro-bender, in the ring it was three on three. This was one versus an ever-growing horde, and this was not going to work.

The hair on the back of his neck started to stand up; vibrating uncomfortably as electricity quickly filled the room. Each swipe was getting close enough to burn, and Bolin was rapidly losing ground. Not to mention Asami was rapidly running out of room to maneuver. Bolin's eyes flickered between her and the growing crowd of Equalists. They needed some cover, something to push the onslaught back.

As his body worked through the well-remembered motions of throwing discs of earth, a pain rose in Bolin's chest. If Mako were here he would lay down a line of fire, give them some breathing room. If Korra were here she would do the same. _Where are they? What did you do with them?_ The thought of what the Equalists could do to his brother and best friend were sickening. The crack of stone and a flash of electricity far too close to his face for comfort snapped him fully back into the fight. The very reason they were here was to find his brother. _But if only we had some fire_.

In a moment of desperation he took to searching the perimeter of the warehouse for something of use. Anything he could glimpse to give them an advantage. _Is that…?_ Bolin's eyes lit up and he stepped backwards, laying down a crushing wall of stone to clear a path towards Asami. He slid sideways as she electrocuted one of her attackers and tossed him away from the car. "Is that gas?" he pointed towards the back of the warehouse where large barrels were stacked in even rows.

She didn't need more than a second to give her answer. "Yes, they're from my father's company."

Bolin turned, throwing up a wall of stone to give Asami some room to work with. Panting in exhaustion he yelled back, "I think we need a little fire here."

"Get a spark around that, and we'll have more than a little fire on our hands." She snapped, her brows furrowing. Her experience with mechanical fires told her that any sort of fire around that much fuel was a terribly dangerous idea.

He yelped as the metal bindings flew through the air, barely having enough time to toss up enough rocks to intercept them. Rock and metal beat against the side of the car and he heard Asami shriek. Bolin felt his heart sink. "I don't think we have a choice! I can't hold them!"

There was another searing strike of electricity, close enough to burn his hair. If he wasn't so busy trying to stay alive he would have considered vomiting from the stench. He slammed a boulder into the two closest Equalists, taking another step back as sweat poured down his cheeks. He heard Asami's voice, low and focused "break those barrels."

"All right!" He didn't quite know why he was so elated, maybe because it was his plan or because it gave him a shred of hope. He picked up a few sharp stones that were littered about and flung them backwards into the barrels. The sound of punctured metal and the resulting hiss of liquid flowing out made the Equalists pause for just a second.

Just enough time for Asami to jam the car into forward and lock the pedal down before she jumped. She rolled up beside Bolin, out of breath and deadly serious. "We're going to need the best rock shield you can manage."

He swallowed, feeling his mouth go dry as the sound of metal smashing into metal filled the enclosed area. It reverberated against the walls and the lights overhead swung dizzily making the whole scene look like a mad dream. In the resulting silence the Equalists marched forward like nightmare legions.

At first there was just a small line of fire that burned along the ground where the gasoline had spilled. Bolin almost had time to be disappointed. Almost.

Three things happened at once: Asami screamed 'Now!' in his ear, his fist connected with stone and the floor gave way. He didn't have enough time to process what was going on when a horrific roaring sound filled his ears and the temperature in the warehouse went from uncomfortably hot to inferno. He felt Asami press against his chest as he brought his arms up and stone obeyed. Flames wrapped around the earth as the smell of burnt flesh and the screams of the Equalists mingled in with the sounds of metal drums tearing themselves apart. Bolin felt jagged chunks of metal impact into the earth around him and he urged more stone to surround them.

_More stone? Where did the floor go?_ He knew he had forgotten something. Everything felt uneven, moving. _Or was that falling?_ Asami was still there, still breathing and they weren't on fire. For now that was good enough for him as he pulled the stone shield around them tighter and tried to bring earth up under their feet once again.

Something hurt, he was trying not to think about that, but his left arm wasn't as strong as he thought it should be. As a second wave of fire roared overhead, the stone shield crumbled as Bolin brought all of his focus on not falling. Or at least not falling as fast. Finally he caught earth, and the earth caught them.

There was a white flash, like a lantern being shoved into his face as they landed. Bolin winced, blinking. No lanterns about, he wondered if it was the explosion or a trick of the light. His head hurt. He felt Asami's arm tugging on his shoulder as a thin shaft of light filtered down from the warehouse. "Come on, we need to move."

_Move, where are we going? _Bolin wondered, but all he came back with was "sure." She tugged him into the darkness and away from the falling debris and mess of the warehouse. It was damp here. Damp and dark. He felt like he was stumbling over something, but he couldn't see enough to tell. He concentrated on simply moving, letting Asami choose the path. One foot in front of the other. He lost track of how long they had been going, so when Asami spoke again he jumped, startled.

"We need to block off a tunnel." her voice sounded far away, like when you listen to someone on the beach from under the water. But she had to be close by; she was pulling him into a small junction. "Can you block that door off?"

"Yeah, no problem." Bolin felt himself smile, that reassuring grin that Mako taught him. He didn't know if he was trying to reassure Asami… or himself. He put his foot onto the ground and pulled both arms up, feeling a sudden jolt of pain in one. The rock obeyed sluggishly, and Bolin staggered back. A small flash of light filled the room from something in Asami's hand, and he heard her gasp. "What's wrong?" he asked, brows furrowing in confusion.

That was a mistake. The simple movement brought attention to the cut spreading across his hairline, a small line of blood trickled past his eye and down his cheek, and the world spun lazily. He felt the earth he loved so much rushing up to greet him as Asami struggled to keep him from falling. He looked up, opening his mouth to apologize. He hadn't meant for them to get into this much trouble, he hadn't meant for any of this to happen.

But the words never came before the world went dark.

xXx


	4. Bond

xXx

Bond

xXx

"I need you to sit up."

The voice seemed so very far off and yet strangely familiar. Sit up. Bolin knew how to do that. So why did it seem so very difficult?

With a groan, he rolled into a sitting position and immediately found out why. His head was pounding. He imagined a hoard of fire ferrets perched on his shoulders, beating on his temples with tiny hammers. The image made him laugh and the tiny chuckle that escaped his lips only made his head hurt worse. A thick wave of nausea ripped through his cut, like an uninvited house guest who brought along his obnoxious friends. The shivering dry heave that rippled through his body ignited flares of pain through his chest. Bolin screwed his eyes shut, pulling his arms against him and trying to block everything else out.

Hands pressed down on his back and chest, and that familiar voice cut through the pounding once again. "Hold on, let me check your arm."

Holding, yeah. Holding he could manage.

He stayed still, feeling the warmth of familiar breath on his neck. "I think the joint's rolled out of the socket. I used to have issues with my shoulder after I rolled one of my Dad's test cars. Let me see if I can pop it back in."

'Pop it back in?' Bolin's lips formed the shapes but the first word never came. Small, strong hands grasped his shoulder. There was a light pressure and a burst pain before something snapped and rolled into place. He didn't manage holding for much longer. His good arm flew to his shoulder as he rolled back, biting out an inelegant "Ow, ow, dammit! Ow!"

"Bolin. Calm down." That voice was so close, so steady, Bolin found himself obeying without thinking. He even took a breath when commanded. Things seemed to swim less, slowly focusing on the face in front of him.

Asami. He blushed, furiously, realizing she was right there, hands on his shoulders to keep him upright. Maybe, if he was very lucky, the darkness would cover his awkwardness. Then again, even if she saw, she wasn't making any comment.

"How do you feel?" The question was plain and simple, something he could anchor on.

"My head hurts." He reached up slowly, wiping a smear of blood away from his brow. A test, one arm moved and then the other, he added "shoulder's sore, but it feels ok."

She frowned a little, pulling the light up near his face. Her fingers prodded the joint area, and she listened for any pops – or reactions before turning to the cut on his head. Bolin flinched, more from embarrassment than pain as she placed a hand upon his cheek to draw his face to one side.

"Is it bad?" No matter how hard he tried to keep his voice sure and steady he ended up sounding like a pitiful little brother. A deeply disappointed frown etched across his face as Asami carefully parted his blood-matted hair.

"It's the same shoulder you zinged in the semi-finals. I think it'll be fine in time, but try to keep that arm still. I'm not sure about this…" she trailed off. Her fingertips were feather-light, brushing against his scalp. "The cut isn't large." She sounded so calm, so self-assured.

He anchored himself to that voice. "Still hurts." The complaint slipped out and he frowned again, trying to take it back. "Nevermind…"

"Never mind?" she canted her head, watching him. "Bolin, shush. Take it easy. I think we should find Lin and Tenzin."

He sat up, hope surging through his veins. "Did they follow us?" Pain and sickness followed his movement and he found himself dizzily slumping back against Asami's arm.

She clucked her tongue at him, pushing him back into a reclining position. "Yes, they did. But I'm pretty sure they're still above ground." She paused and cast her gaze upwards. "That explosion must have attracted police attention."

"I don't think Chief Saikhan is interested in helping, like Chief Beifong would be." Bolin murmured. The nagging ache in his head was swiftly turning his usual optimism into darkened pessimism. That pessimism seemed to give him clarity of thought. "He'll probably roadblock Tenzin and the Chief."

"We just have to get out." Asami replied, still the buoy in Bolin's foggy sea of thought. "Can you walk?"

He stirred and felt the floor spin like being drunk and trying to get footing on a rickety ship at sea. "Can you give me a few minutes?" his voice was steady but the words were slightly slurred.

"Sure." She couldn't keep the note of worry out of the simple reply. Bolin furrowed his brows.

"Asami?"

She snapped her attention towards him, as if he had been shouting rather than whispering. "Are you all right, Bolin?"

He scrunched his nose as if to say he had not intended to be whiny. "Yeah I just…" he trailed off, his cheeks flushing red. "I wanted to say that I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" She leaned closer, her pale green eyes full of confusion. "Why are you sorry?"

Bolin smiled lopsidedly. "Well, I did get you into this, didn't I? Had to go off and try to be the hero."

Her brows knit together. "We're looking for your brother. Bolin, I volunteered. There's no reason to be sorry."

"I mean, you know…" Bolin trailed off as his train of through violently derailed. He found himself rubbing his fingers across the red scarf he had stowed safely in his pocket. "I didn't expect we'd be here, now. Sitting. In a rock."

"Bolin," she chuckled despite the situation, "you're not making much sense."

He thrust his chin in the air. "Hey. I was awesome… and stuff… back there." He waved a hand vaguely towards the direction they had run from. "I think I deserve a little leeway."

She settled her hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. "You _were_ awesome back there." Silence settled in between them and she stared off into the darkness for a few seconds.

Seconds dragged into minutes. Bolin pushed himself to sit straight. This time nausea didn't follow. His green eyes narrowed and slowly the room went from slightly blurry to crisply in focus. A tiny glitter drifted down Asami's cheek as she closed her eyes. It took a second before he realized those were tears.

"Hey… are you ok?" He reached out, his fingers gently brushing against her cheek. She turned away, letting the darkness melt over her features. Bolin grimaced. "I am sorry, you know. I didn't just say it."

She turned back, choking down the remaining tears with a small stifled breath. "I know." She wiped her eyes, squaring her shoulders as her voice grew stronger. "I never grew up with anybody after my mother died. Only my father. I always thought he'd be there for me, through anything. But you and your brother have done more in a few weeks than he has in years."

"Well, to be fair, I sorta got you into this." He offered a light smile.

"To be fair, I took the keys from you." She returned. His smile was reassuring, she found it slowly mirrored on her own features. "What I mean is we've only known each other for a few weeks. But back there you put yourself on the front line for the both of us. That's more than my father would have done for me."

Bolin's lips creased into a deep frown. "Asami, maybe your father was wrong. I mean you're brilliant and I was only being a decent friend. You deserve a decent friend. You deserve a decent father." He paused and for a moment his eyes went wide. "I didn't mean it like that."

She turned her face to the ground. "No. It's ok. Sometimes I think you're right. I only wish he would see that."

Feeling steady enough to move, Bolin drew himself forward enough to put a hand on Asami's shoulder. "Maybe someday he will. But for now, I swear you have the best friends possible."

For a second she stared at him, tears brimming in her eyes, but refusing to fall. It took a few moments of leaning on the big, goofy earthbender for her to regain her equilibrium, but it worked. There was something solid about his promise that eased the pain she felt every time she thought about what her father had done. When she spoke it came out barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Bolin."

"Don't thank me yet. Let's get out of here, first." To punctuate his intentions he slowly worked his way to his feet, leaning against the rough rock until he was sure his legs would hold him.

She rose to her feet, following him, her dark brows furrowed. "Are you sure you're ready?"

"Right as rain." He offered a convincing smile, despite lingering by the wall for a few more seconds of support. But this time it was an unusually fortuitous wait.

Bolin held up a hand, and Asami stopped in her tracks. The earthbender pressed his ear to the stone wall, and stretched his hands out to feel the vibrations in the earth. Someone was coming. He put a finger to his lips and let out a melodramatic 'shhh!' which earned him a soft cuff on his head from the silent Asami. Taking the hint he followed suit, barely daring to breathe.

"This attack's got everyone riled up. Sato's time is running out. The authorities are gonna swarm this place." A gruff male voice spoke from the other side of the rock.

"Well then he better decide what he's doing with that street rat firebender." A second, youthful voice piped up.

Bolin swallowed, feeling his throat go tight. The first voice grew closer and then slowly passed. "If you ask me he should just haul him to HQ and hand him over to Amon."

"Nobody's askin' you." The voices bantered on and faded.

As the goal asserted itself clearly and painfully nearby, Bolin and Asami shared an unspoken exchange. She wavered a bit, her face going pale at the mention of her father, while Bolin's eyes darkened. Asami was the first to break the silence. "What should we do now?"

Bolin felt the world snap to clarity. The pain in his head dulled to a nagging ache as his feet rooted to the ground. "Sometimes in a match you get one chance. Either you take it and win, or you ignore it and end up in the drink." He caught Asami's gaze and locked it. "I'm not ending up in the drink and I'm not forfeiting."

The earthbender's resolve burned into her mind and she gave a silent nod. "Do you have a plan?"

"Uhm, I was thinking follow them, knock them out with rocks upside the head, bust any prisoners out and run." He bit his bottom lip as if admitting it wasn't the best plan.

Asami considered this for a few moments. "Let's do it."

"I was hoping you'd have a better plan."

"I don't." She admitted extinguishing the light. "At least you _have_ a plan."

Bolin carefully broke the wall of rock that had protected them, pausing to consider their chances. "Right. We should move before we lose them." He took in a breath, his mind racing, and he forced himself into a game face. _No use in worrying about what could happen, just move and get the job done_.

He took Asami's hand and pulled her into the shadows against the wall as they crept forward, keeping their foes in earshot.

xXx

_A/Ns: While I am not a shipper by nature, I do believe in a strong Bosami friendship. I can see those two having quite a complex relationship over the next few seasons. I had the desire to play with that just a little bit. ._

_Also mad props shout out to Flicker of Candlelight who wisely reminded me that yes, indeed, Bolin needs more time to take lead and be awesome. _


End file.
